At sunrise in the Maharashtrian town of Kolhapur, tea stalls light their stoves, vendors on their two-wheelers begin their rounds, construction sites awake, and municipal trucks collect the first loads of waste. Each of these everyday actions releases greenhouse gases, shaping the city’s climate footprint. As India strives to achieve its national climate goals and reach net zero by 2070, rapidly urbanising mid-sized cities like Kolhapur must first understand the emissions arising from activities within their boundaries to contribute effectively to this target. A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory becomes the starting point - an accounting system that can help the city’s administration measure, manage, and eventually mitigate their impact on climate. 

What is a GHG emissions inventory in the urban context?

A GHG emissions inventory is a systematic accounting of all greenhouse gases generated within a city’s jurisdiction over a defined period, typically measured annually. It quantifies carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other gases across sectors that define urban life. For Indian urban local bodies such as municipal corporations, municipalities, or nagar panchayats (town councils), this inventory provides a scientific foundation for climate action planning and the development of decarbonisation pathways.

Establishing boundaries: Within and beyond city limits

Cities must first define the boundaries of their inventory. Geographical boundaries follow municipal jurisdiction like wards, development zones, or city limits defined in city master plans. Operational boundaries determine the types of emissions considered. Scope 1 includes direct emissions from sources such as vehicles, fuel used in generators, biomass burning, and cooking fuels like LPG and PNG. Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from grid electricity supplied by DISCOMs. Scope 3 captures other indirect emissions arising from external activities, such as waste transported outside city boundaries and emissions associated with the supply and transmission of fuels and goods. These boundary decisions ensure that the inventory is aligned with national and international standards while remaining locally applicable.

Sectors that define emissions in Indian cities

The emissions profile of Indian cities reflects the realities of urbanisation. In the emissions inventories, including those developed by Transitions Research, stationary energy consistently emerges as the dominant sector, largely driven by electricity demand from residential apartments, commercial complexes, informal settlements, and small-scale industries. Urban transport is another major contributor, fuelled by petrol, diesel, and CNG vehicles, alongside a rapidly expanding two-wheeler population - particularly in mid-sized cities where rising aspirations align with increasing economic mobility. While e-mobility has begun to make inroads in most Indian cities, its impact remains limited. Municipal solid waste and wastewater treatment contribute additional methane emissions, especially in cities with open dumpsites, although these have declined in recent years following the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission. In cities with industrial clusters or peri-urban agriculture, such as Kolhapur, further emissions arise from industrial processes and agricultural activities.

From activity to CO2e

The technical process begins with collecting activity data such as electricity consumption records from state DISCOMs, fuel sales from oil marketing companies, vehicle registration data from RTOs, and waste volumes from municipal departments. Using the fundamental formula,

Emissions = Activity Data × Emission Factor,

each activity is translated into corresponding emission values. For standardisation, all greenhouse gases are expressed in a common unit of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂) by applying their respective Global Warming Potential (GWP) conversion factors. Emission factors specific to India are sourced from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for grid power, national communications to the UNFCCC, and IPCC guidelines. The careful selection of these factors ensures that the resulting inventory accurately represents Indian energy systems rather than relying on generic international assumptions.

Use case for Indian Urban Local Bodies

For Indian municipalities, city-level climate action has become a necessity rather than a choice. Following the launch of the Mumbai Climate Action Plan in 2021, the Government of Maharashtra directed 44 cities to prepare their own Climate Action Plans. Similarly, cities such as Chennai and Ahmedabad have developed city-level climate frameworks, signalling a shift in climate governance to the municipal level. As noted earlier, a GHG inventory helps cities identify emission hotspots such as growing traffic congestion, rising stationary energy demand, and unprocessed waste and thereby identify sectors where action is needed. By establishing a baseline, it enables regular monitoring, tracking of progress, and the setting of future emission reduction targets. It also informs local climate action plans under national initiatives such as the ClimateSmart Cities Assessment, AMRUT, and the Smart Cities Mission. Moreover, it supports cities in formulating long-term strategies and net-zero pathways aligned with national climate goals, while guiding the development of projects such as low-emission transport corridors, rooftop solar adoption, and improved waste management systems. Such initiatives not only strengthen local climate resilience but also enhance eligibility for green finance, international grants, and greater recognition for the city within the broader climate action discourse.

Challenges unique to Indian Cities

Developing a GHG emissions inventory for a mid-sized Indian city presents several persistent challenges. Data is often scattered across departments, informal activities and sectors remain difficult to quantify, and municipal staff may lack the technical expertise required for such analyses. In many cases, estimates rely on proxy indicators rather than direct measurements, introducing uncertainty. Additional complexities arise from seasonal migration, fuel stacking in households, and informal waste management practices.

Despite these challenges, Indian cities are gradually learning to institutionalise climate measurement. Some have established dedicated climate teams within municipal structures, while others collaborate with state environment departments and research institutions. However, much more progress is needed, and the process of developing emissions inventories must remain iterative and continuously refined.

The adoption of digital platforms for managing energy, water, and waste data should progressively replace manual record-keeping systems. At the same time, capacity-building programmes are essential for public sector practitioners, enabling urban local bodies to develop in-house expertise. Strengthening such institutional capacity will allow cities to move beyond basic inventory preparation towards comprehensive, long-term climate planning and visioning.

Conclusion

A GHG emissions inventory is not a static report but the starting point of a city’s climate journey. Over time, it should evolve into a dynamic, living document that is regularly updated, independently audited, and actively used to inform policy and planning.

For Indian cities, a GHG inventory serves as a bridge between local governance and global responsibility, linking public service delivery with sustainability and transforming raw data into actionable decisions. By translating everyday urban activities into measurable emissions, it equips cities with the insight needed to act effectively. Within every tonne of CO₂ recorded lies the potential for transformation - cleaner electric bus fleets, decentralised rooftop solar systems, and restored landfills - each representing a tangible step toward a more sustainable urban future.